By:

Victorino was scratched with what Red Sox manager John Farrell classified as "overall stiffness" that wasn't located in any one specific area. And while Farrell wasn't ready to say Victorino has had a "setback" or to push back the right fielder's timetable for returning from the disabled list, it certainly qualifies as a red flag considering his checkered injury history over the past two seasons.

"We still intend that he'll be joining us on the West Coast here," Farrell said before the Red Sox opened a four-game series with the A's.

Victorino has been sidelined twice this season with a strained right hamstring. He missed the season's first three weeks, then played 21 games before bowing out again while trying to leg out a bunt May 23 at Tampa Bay. Victorino also was held back early in spring training to strengthen his core, a measure the Red Sox believed would help minimize the hamstring and back issues that limited him to 118 games last season.

Initially, Victorino had been scheduled to play three consecutive games for Pawtucket beginning Thursday, then meeting the team and possibly being activated for Monday night's series opener in Seattle. Farrell said Victorino will now receive treatment Friday and "everything points to him being back in the lineup" for Pawtucket on Saturday.

Farrell described Victorino's stiffness as "overall general."

"Not one specific area, so hamstring, lower back, it's all in there," Farrell said. "I can't say it was a setback, but we felt like he needed to get a couple days of (treatment) in."

One other note before the Red Sox begin their four-game series against the league-leading A's:

--Conspicious in his absence from the lineup one night after hitting a game-tying solo homer in the 10th inning at Fenway Park: David Ortiz. Cue the jokes about Big Papi needing the time to appeal the scoring decision with which he publicly disagreed after Wednesday's game. But after flying coast to coast, the Sox planned all along to give their 38-year-old designated hitter the night off, according to Farrell. "Not uncommon," Farrell said. "We fully expect him to be back in the lineup (Friday night)."